Sean Olson

Artist Statement:

I am an object maker interested in what it means to find beauty in the mundane. The way culture places meaning on objects and how that meaning changes depending on the context has led me to an interest in nontraditional materials.  I explore the materials through process, gathering, and altering; letting the physical and formal characteristics of the materials guide my decisions. Looking at these objects has led me to consider our everyday experience and what I choose to drag into my life.  I then try to understand the fundamental nature of the object or material, i.e. does the essence of a leaf exist as among the leaves on the tree, as an individual leaf, or brown and crumbling on the ground. I want a place or object that creates a state of focus whether through beauty, environment or absurdity. Throughout this process I find myself homesick; only I can’t remember where my home is.